JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #16 (Dc Comics)
A traitor walks amongst “The Terrific Ten”!
As Mr. Terrific leads a time-displaced squad of heroes into Hell itself, the devilish landscape seems to have corrupted another good soul. Neron’s manipulations appear to have succeeded where others have failed. With no one able to help, Terrific must go this alone. The lives of millions rest on his shoulders.
No pressure, right?
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #16 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain & Ariana Maher concludes its’ DC K.O. tie-in story.
Let’s see how this finale unfolds.
JUSTICE LEAGUE UNLIMITED #16 by Mark Waid, Dan Mora, Tamra Bonvillain & Ariana Maher (DC Comics)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Waid puts a few different looks into this unique tie-in story. The saga of the Earth heroes plays out with a look at the lengths some go to survive. Air Wave’s statement to open echo the losing feeling some may have. Ted Kord’s hope for a better outcome for Mr. Terrific proves to be fleeting. Knowing what Owlwoman has done, the scene plays in favor of the devil himself. Neron’s small victory leads into an interesting persepctive that some may have missed. Owlwoman’s feelings of expendability prove to be a catalyst for her current status.
Readers watch as her breakdown spotlights the downside of “We Are Yesterday”. It spins into a strong defense from Mr. Terrific. The writing shows his unbreakable will during extreme times. Once events move back to Earth, the scenario becomes an eye opener to Neron’s ultimate goals. Readers watch as both heroes and villains weigh the stakes involved. The message behind the heroes actions proves noteworthy as one makes a decision which throws everything in flux. This results in a very bold finish. The result moves into a more somber ending than one might expect. It also leaves a definitive statement that heroes gave it all just for an extra chance of survival.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
Mora and Bonvillain open with a full shot of Air Wave and the team in immediate danger. The panels move fast as everything Blue Beetle tries overseeing falls apart. This sense of hopelessness moves to Neron. A full image of him handling Mr. Terrific sets a pace for even more problems for the JLU leader. As more secrets come to light involving Owlwoman, the art moves along with a blunt depiction of her views. It is an eye opener in comparing to the superhero normal themes.
Seeing her reaction to Terrific’s mission layout moves into more frustration. The half page echos her anger as it moves to a full page recap. Her emotions behind her choices never escape readers. Once the story moves back to Earth, another great full page shows the heroes last stand. Reader watch as the action flies very quickly. Another full image shows Neron’s secret factor entering this game. What isn’t expected is the re-evaluation of events. Seeing how some are second guessing themselves reflect the uncertainty of the future. This moves into a resolution via half page. Panels spin from this into a fitting close. The final image caps off events perfectly with a full shot remembering a forgotten team. Incredible work per usual.
FINAL GRADE: 8.8
A traitor’s action sparks a dire attempt to salvage victory in a tremendous arc finale. Waid dissects the polarizing reactions to DC K.O.’s actions . The art team shines in delivering action and emotion. JLU is always a great series for those needing a reminder of what makes a great superhero story.
Let me know your thoughts on Justice League Unlimited #16 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
